Tales from Ashford Academy
by TheDemonLord06
Summary: Immediately after dying, Lelouch is given a miraculous offer: Live in the world he has created. Bring back everyone who died. Be a normal person again. However, being normal isn't easy, as Lelouch will soon find out amid the romance, drama, and hilarity.
1. Offer

"Brother, I love you…" whispered Nunnally, as she clutched my bloodstained hand to her face.

"Yes… I…" I struggled to find the words as my life flashed before my eyes. "Destroy… worlds…" I forced the last part out with my dying breath, because it was vital Nunally hear the last part. "Create… worlds…"

In my final moments, I saw everything. Suzaku, Japan, Nunally, the Black Knights, Shirley, Kallen, C2, all directly affected by my actions, though changed for the better or the worse, I could not tell…

As I closed my eyes, I suddenly felt free. Free and light. I felt as though I had been carrying a heavy weight all my life and had suddenly cast it off. Not only that, but I felt free of… Discomfort. I had never realized that my body was always uncomfortable or in pain in some way or another. I felt good. Better than good. I felt great. "_I'm dead_" I realized. Although dying itself had been painful, _being_ dead was… A relief. I felt as though I had just completed a difficult test, and was now free to do as I pleased.

I opened my eyes. I saw Nunnally screaming at my body. "Brother! No! Brother, open your eyes! BROTHER!" she cried, burying her head in "my" blood soaked chest. The prisoners looked on in shock, and then looked up at Zero, who flourished his sword. I cry came from a familiar purple-haired woman in the audience.

"Lelouch the Demon had died! Release the hostages!"

"Yes!" came the answering cry from the on-lookers. As civilians rushed toward the float, I saw Jeremiah ordering a retreat. But above all the confusion, I heard Nunnally's last words to me.

"This is unfair." She said tearfully. "I would've been happy with just you, brother. I can't bear a future without you brother… I just can't…

_I'm sorry to leave you like this, Nunnally_ I thought with all my might, even though I knew she couldn't hear me. _I started this all for you. But after awhile, it became something more. I had to take everyone else's lives into consideration. I had to create a better world for everyone. And you're strong, Nunnally. More than you realize. You'll be able to make it without me. I know you can. _

As everything slowly faded to white, the last thing I heard in this world was a repeating chant of the legacy that I had started. My final masterpiece, almost breathtaking in its elegance and acumen: the Zero Requiem.

"Zero, Zero, Zero, Zero…"

I suddenly saw myself looking at a variety of scenes. Kallen going to school, Zero and Nunnally meeting Ohgi, a pregnant Villetta watching her husband on TV, Anya and Orange-boy working in an orange field, the Damocles evaporating into the sun, and finally, C2 riding in the back of a hay cart.

"The power of the kings, known a Geass, brings one solitude. Not quite accurate, is it?" At this point, to my shock, C2 locked eyes with me. "Right, Lelouch?"

I chuckled to myself. I should have known better than to stop expecting to be surprised by C2, even when I died. _And what do you mean by that, my friend?_ I thought, knowing instinctually that she would be able to hear me.

"Oh, you'll find out soon, I expect." Said C2 aloud, prompting an odd look by the man driving that cart.

Suddenly, everything faded to white again.

When the whiteness settled out, it took the shape of a beautiful orchard. A little ways away, from atop hill, there was an elaborate mansion. From the shade of an apple tree about 10 feet away stood a man. As he began to approach me, he emerged into the light and I could discern his features better. He was tall, about 6 feet high, with olive-toned skin, red eyes and black-brown hair. When he was about 5 feet away, he began to speak in a deep, melodious voice.

"Greetings, Lelouch vi Britannia. I bring salutations from my master, and would like to tell you: well done. You have truly lived up to your potential."

I narrowed my eyes. This wasn't what I expected. I had expected a void, nothingness, or at the very least hell and damnation. Certainly not an orchard (which had a strange, majestic feel to it) and not congratulations from a mysterious man and his "master."

"Where is this place? Who are you?" I demanded. The man in front of me laughed.

"Always the chess master, eh, Lelouch? When confronted with an unfamiliar game, you immediately try to figure out the rules. Splendid."

"Don't dodge the question."

"Hmm…" Considered the man as he pondered the inquiry. "Who am I? That's a good question. I've had more names than I care to remember. However… For the time we are together, I suppose you could call me R.T.H."

Ignoring the fact that he wouldn't tell me where we were (I _was_ dead, and therefore was to expect weird stuff like this) I pressed on. "Very well, R.T.H. Why are we here?"

"I am here to make you an offer on behalf of my master-"

"Master?"

"I suppose you could consider him what humans generally refer to as 'God', although that's not quite the right term. I any case, who he is is irrelevant… At least for the moment.

Lelouch vi Britannia, you have done well. You have succeeded in almost every test that came your way, and you have effectively re-made the world into a better place than it was before. My master applauds your noble efforts, and would like to give you a chance to live in the world you have created."

I could hardly believe my ears, though to my credit, my expression only flickered for a second. "What do you mean?" I asked, remarkably calmly, considering the situation.

"You heard me. You can live in the world you created. There are a few conditions, though: 1. Everyone who died during the Black Rebellion will be given back to their families, from both sides. This will include Shirley and Euphemia. 2. The exploits of Zero and Emperor Lelouch will be forgotten. 3. You will no longer have the power of Geass."

I contemplated this. "Is that all?"

"Yes.'

I considered this. No longer having Geass would be somewhat of a letdown, but then, I suppose that in this new, peaceful world, I wouldn't need it. But something else was bothering me…

"Will I retain my memories?"

"You will remember everything. You will also have the power to let other remember. Also, we are unable to erase the memories of Code-bearers. So people like C2 will also keep their memories."

"Very well, then. I accept your terms."

As everything faded to white for the last time, I heard R.T.H. shouting one last warning to me. "Also! You may have created a peaceful world, but evil still exists. There will always be those who wish to usurp the peace! We cannot guarantee…"

But that was all I managed to hear before it suddenly all went dark.


	2. Waking Up

**(Author's note): This is now, officially, my most successful fanfiction! I only posted it last night, but it's already had some 80 hits, with only one person not viewing it. Because of this I decided to do another chapter right away.**

"Lelouch? Lelouch!? Are you okay!?"

"What happened?"

"Do you think we should call a doctor?"

"I don't know. He seemed fine just a few minutes ago…"

It was dark. I could tell that I was lying on a carpeted surface of some sort. I could feel the sunlight on my body. Aside from that, I didn't know anything. Out of reflex, I opened my eyes.

I was in the student council planning room. Sunlight streamed through the open windows. The student council was gathered around me, looking at me with concerned faces.

"Lulu? You okay?" inquired Shirley. I didn't answer. I continued to look around the room. It was exactly like I remembered it, every detail exac-

My eyes snapped back to Shirley's face. She shouldn't be here. Shirley was dead. Unless… R.T.H.'s offer had come true. If that was the case…

"Hey, Shirley." I said (in a remarkably nonchalant manner, considering what had happened). "What happened?"

"We were having lunch here, as usual, and you sorta… Passed out. Maybe you should go see a doctor-"

"No, I'm fine. Really. What's the date?"

Shirley and Milly exchanged a worried glance.

"Lelouch, are you _sure-"_

"I told you, I'm fine. Just tell me the date."

"It's September 30th."

September 30th. The day I got my Geass. I considered this for a few seconds. It seemed fitting, now that I thought about it.

"And Nunnally? Is she alright?"

"Of course. Lulu, why wouldn't she be? Why are you acting so strangely? Is it-"

"Hey Shirley," interjected Suzaku. "If you're done interrogating him, we've both got Philosophy in about five minutes."

Five minutes later, I was taking my seat in room W-5C, next to Suzaku. In the old days, I didn't remember having Philosophy, but I decided to just go with it. After all, I had a pretty good idea of what had happened. I had accepted the offer, after all. Everything was back to normal.

This rather comfortable worldview was shattered when R.T.H. walked in the door. Judging from the mutters of surprise I heard around me, I wasn't the only one. I heard a girl behind me mutter "Is he a substitute?"

"Good afternoon, students." Said R.T.H. on his way to his desk. He received a few muttered replies in response. "I am Mr. Johnson, your new philosophy teacher. Today we will be discussing why conflict is an essential part of human nature."

45 minutes later, after a demonstration involving a female student, a tennis racquet, a piece of French toast, a pair of rubber gloves, and a discussion of the rules of Brockian Ultra Cricket, I approached R.T.H.'s desk. What French toast or Brockian Ultra Cricket had to do with human conflicts was anybody's guess, but "Mr. Johnson" assured the class that all would become clear in time.

"You." I said simply as I approached his desk. He looked up from some papers he was shuffling. "Why are you here?"

"Didn't I tell you? I'm here to help you acclimatize and get used to your new life. I'm also here if you have any questions about the new timeline that's been established."

I looked at him for a few seconds, considering this. "Hmph. Very well, then." I turned walked away. Rivalz was waiting for me outside.

"You ready?" He asked.

I suddenly realized what he was talking about. The chess match. The one I had gambled on. The one where on the way back to school, I met a certain mysterious young woman and received the power of Geass.

**(Author's note): I didn't really like how the philosophy class and afterward went. Maybe my body was just tired of writing, but I couldn't seem to convey the right sense of absurdity that I wanted. That, and all of the dialogue starting with Suzaku's line seemed a bit… Chunky. It didn't flow like I wanted it to. I'm sure the next chapter will be better, though. Also, if you want to learn more on Brockian Ultra Cricket (a very absurd game that involves wacking people with baseballs bats and the like, the running away and apologizing, preferably over a megaphone) then Google it. It shold be on a site called "earthstar"**


	3. First Day

**(Author's note): Today, I was actaully going to write a chapter in my other fanfiction, "Aura of Mystery," but since so many people requested another chapter, I decided to do yet another chapter in this one. Incedentally, Out-Of Control-Authoress, I tried to make this chapter a bit longer, like you said. Tell me what you thought of it.**

I closed my eyes as I felt the wind on my face. Rivalz accelerated, and I felt exhilarated as the sudden burst of speed hit my body. I opened my eyes and saw the road flying by us. I then resumed watching the traffic.

I had gone with Rivalz, just as before. Only this time, instead of playing against a Britannian nobleman, I had gone up against a Japanese politician. He was just as arrogant, just as easy to beat, and paid just as much.

I threw a few casual questions at Rivalz on the way back, and deduced that this wasn't "old Japan" anymore. Its new name was the "United States of Japan.," and it belonged to the UFN, or United Federation of Nations. So the deal was literally true, word for word. Aside from having the clock turned back a year, I was "living in the world I had created." I made a mental note to pay attention in history class tomorrow, to see if I could figure out what the "official" story was for how the USJ and UFN had come to be.

On the way back, I paid special attention to the traffic, being on the lookout for a familiar-looking truck. I kept glancing behind me, hoping to see the formidably large vehicle looming behind us, just like last time. No such luck, though. I also used a set of radio headphones to try to listen for any accidents involving trucks, but I couldn't find any of those, either. As we pulled into the student parking lot of Ashford, I resigned myself to the fact that C2 probably wasn't even in the Tokyo settlement. However, I was comforted by the fact that according to R.T.H., C2 still had her memories, and that meant-

I was interrupted from my musings by the 6th period release bell. Realizing that I had only five minutes to be on the other side of campus, I sprinted like a madman to get to classroom N-1B. I'm sure the sight was comical to everyone else, but _no one_ should have to that fast or for that long. I also had to take the long way around, because Coach Villeta was waiting for me along the corridor I usually take. I swear, that woman is _obsessed_ with trying to get me to attend gym class. You'd think she'd give it a rest after awhile. I don't know what Ohgi sees in her. Speaking of Ohgi…

* * *

The funny thing about life is that once you think you've got everything figured out, it invariably shoves something in your face to show you that you've actually got no idea what's going on. This is what happened when I walked into the door for English class and saw Ohgi sitting at the teacher's desk, looking as though nothing was out of place. Being a little more used to seeing unexpected things at this point, I took my seat and participated in the lesson as though everything was normal. I surprised to find out that despite being a resistance leader in an alternate dimension, Ohgi was a very competent teacher, finding ways to keep the class interested and involved. Even I, who was usually bored in such classes, found myself following along, paying attention, and even answering the occasional question. Come to think of it, didn't Ohgi say he used to be a teacher before he became a rebel…?

As the class came to a close, I realized I wanted to ask him about Coach Villeta. Were they still involved? Did they even like each other? I wasn't sure about how to approach it, though. How do I ask him about his relationship with her without making it seem awkward?

As I approached his desk, he looked up from a paper he was reading over and smiled. "Hello, Lelouch. What can I do for you?"

"Was just wondering, sir… What do you think of Coach Villeta?"

He laughed at this. "What, did she nail you for skipping gym class again?"

I smiled somewhat mechanically. Actually, during 6th period, when I would have been in gym, I was actually at that chess match. "Not exactly, sir."

"Well, she's a… Good-looking woman. She seems a bit intense, though. Takes her job too seriously. Teaching is a job, but it should be fun, too. That answer your question?"

"Yes, sir."

As I hurried off to the student council after-school meeting, I recalled R.T.H.'s words to me: _"You will also have the power to let others remember…" _I was already forming a plan, but had no time to reflect too much on it, as I just a few seconds later I bumped into a familiar orange-haired girl, knocking the books from her arms.

"Sorry, Shirley." I apologized as I helped her gather up her books. "I guess I wasn't paying enough attention to what was in front of me, and-"

"Um, Lulu?" asked Shirley, her head slightly down, eyes averted, and blushing slightly. "W-would you like to… Uh… Y'know… What I'm t-trying to say is… Um… Never mind…" she almost mumbled as she rushed past me, continuing on the way she was going. I looked at her retreating back confusedly. What was that all about?

Then it dawned on me. I remembered her last words to me: _"And as I'm reborn… I'll keep falling in love with you…Over and over…"_

As I continued along my way, I found myself trying to untangle my feelings toward Shirley. Before, I had only liked her as a friend. But then, I had figured out that she had a crush on me, and I tried to keep things as normal as possible, mainly because I didn't want to have a serious relationship with _anyone_. But then I had killed her father, and then she had kissed me, and then all that business with Mao… And then, even after I erased her memories, she had fallen in love with me again. Even when she had recovered her memories and knew that I was Zero, she had lied to protect me. She even wanted to join the small group of individuals who knew my true identity, maybe even join the Black Knights.

Such love was admirable at the very least. I couldn't just ignore it. I knew that everyday without my love in her life was torture for Shirley. I didn't want her to be unhappy. All the same… I couldn't honestly say that I felt the same way. I felt… Different then from when we were just friends, but I couldn't tell if it was love or just appreciation for all she had done for me.

* * *

During the Student Council after-school meeting, I studiously avoided Shirley's eyes. I wasn't sure why, but I felt like looking at her would increase these confusing feelings. Madam Prez seemed to sense something was up. She looked between the two of us and smirked to herself when she thought no one was looking. I frowned at this. I had always known Milly was teasing Shirley, but she had known better than to do the same to me. If she started, then so help me…

The meeting disbanded, and I headed back to my room to do my homework. I paused as I was stepping up a flight of stairs and looked out the window. I suddenly realized how lucky I was. When I had made that sacrifice for the Zero Requiem, I had fully expected to never see anyone I loved again. Even if there had been some kind of afterlife, I was sure that souls as pure as Nunnally or Shirley would be sent heaven, but because of all I had done, I was sure I would sent to hell.

And yet here I was. Thanks to R.T.H. and his mysterious master, I was living what had always been my secret dream ever since becoming Zero: being normal. If only I could find C2, then the perfect picture would be complete…

* * *

I went home (which happened to still be within the academy itself), did some homework, and watched some TV. Being bored was strangely relieving.

I also talked to Nunnally. It was nice to hear her voice again. Sayoko cooked for us, and it was an excellent meal (as usual). Although, I doubt that I'll ever be able to see her in the same light, considering that I now know that she's secretly a ninja.

As I went to bed that night, I reflected on everything that had happened. As I realized once again how lucky I was, I resolved to enjoy every bit of my new life. Even the homework. I rolled over and tried to get to sleep.

Only to be woken minutes later by the sound of my cell phone ringing. As I irritably wondered who on earth would be calling at this time of night, I flipped it open.

"It's me."

"Hello, Lelouch."

"C2!?"

**(Author's note): Good enough for you, dragonamser?**


	4. Arrival

**(Author's Note): I had the privilege of seeing a production of _The Music_ _Man_ at a local theater in my area, called PCPA. In it, there's a song called "My White Knight." Whenever Marian mentioned the word "Lancelot," it was all I could do to stop from cracking up. I'm that obsessed.**

"It's me."

"Hello, Lelouch."

"C2!?"

"You seem surprised."

"Well… It's just… I wasn't expecting…"

"What, did you think I wasn't going to contact you? Surely R.T.H. told you that code-bearers didn't have their memories erased-"

"Wait. You know R.T.H.?"

"Only be reputation. I also knew that he was going to be the project supervisor for this new world-"

"Project supervisor? What does that mean?"

"If you want to know, ask him yourself. I don't have time to explain it all to you. I need to know something. Is it okay if I come visit you?"

I was caught of guard by this sudden question. "What? Yeah, sure, I guess…"

"Good." And with that, she hung up.

* * *

The next morning, I struggled out of bed in a tired stupor, dressed myself, and stumbled out into the kitchen to make myself some coffee. Having made said coffee, I realized that I had gotten up way too early, and that Sayoko wasn't even up yet. At this point I had too much caffeine in my body to go back to sleep, so I went back to my room and read for an hour.

Once Sayoko got up, she cooked a batch of delicious French toast (which I instantly set to work devouring), and then went off to help Nunnally out of bed. Once both of them joined me, the French toast went much faster.

I gathered up the last few things I needed for school, and headed out. As I walked down the stairs, breathing in the crisp, fresh morning air, I looked out into the courtyard and saw the sunlight reflecting off of the dew on the grass. It was a magnificent sight.

I also saw Rivalz, Suzaku, and Shirley talking in a corner of the courtyard, our usual meeting place. I hurried over to join them.

* * *

The next few days passed without incident. I went to my classes, ate lunch with my friends, owned all of the other people in the chess club, etc. I also started a certain… Project.

It started about three days after C2 had called me, when I was sitting restlessly in my bed, unable to sleep. I was thinking that although it was nice to deal with all the normal concerns of school and life for once, I wanted… I wasn't sure how to put it into words.

I wanted people to understand me. Not the student side of me, but I wanted them to understand Zero. To understand what sacrifices had been made to get them this far. I remembered that I held the power to restore people's memories…

But that was impractical. I couldn't go around restoring _everyone's _memories. In Japan alone, there were over 100 million people. I couldn't visit all of them. And in any case, I wasn't even sure how to go about restoring memories. Since it was vital to my plan for re-uniting Ohgi and Villeta, I made a mental note to ask R.T.H. tomorrow.

And even then, there were further complications. If everyone had regained their memories, they would only know of Lelouch the Demon, and how the terrible tyrant had met his end at the hands of Zero. If they discovered that the "tyrant" was currently living as a student, they would probably be confused, but there would be enough fanatics that I would probably be killed by an angry mob.

And _even_ supposing that I somehow managed to convince everyone that I was Zero and had actually been working for the greater good, I didn't want to be a hero. I didn't want to be revered the world over. I just wanted to be normal. I had finally gotten my wish, and I wasn't about to spoil it in a hurry.

If only there was a way to tell the story of Zero… A way that would tell the story from my point of view and still let me be a normal person...

The answer came to me in one glorifying moment of inspiration. I was so excited that I crawled out of bed and began to write immediately.

A book. I could write a book. It was the answer to all of those problems. A book could tell the story from my point of view, could convince everyone that both Zero and Lelouch had been heroes, and above all, would let me retain my new, normal life.

Of course, there were no guarantees. Nobody could tell me for sure that my book would get published. But even so, I didn't mind. It gave me something to do besides lay around on the weekends. Plus, I was relatively sure that it would get published. It _was_ an interesting story, at least to me. It was almost as though my life was an anime series designed to entertain young adults… Which was a laughable concept, of course.

* * *

Slowly, the days turned to weeks. I kept expecting C2 to show up, and I suspect that because of this she didn't. She always did like surprising me at least opportune moments. However, the more irritated I got at C2's continued absence, the more I realized it was because I wanted to see her. Badly.

Despite her strange, unempathetic, and mysterious personality, C2 was a friend like no other. She had stood by me time and time again, and helped me out of more tight corners than I cared to remember. The contract we had made, originally designed to have me kill her, had become a friendship like I had never had before, not even with Suzaku. For the first time in her whole life, someone had fulfilled her true wish: to be loved. We had achieved a deeper understanding of each other than mere friends, to the point where we could predicts each others' actions (which wasn't unusual for me, but rarely has someone known me well enough to predict _me_).

And yet, as she persisted in not showing up, I couldn't help worrying. Had something happened to her?

* * *

Although I didn't know it, but on this perfectly normal Thursday afternoon, just before a perfectly normal 6th period gym class, which I was trying to ditch (which was also perfectly normal), something extraordinary was going to happen. Something that would change me, my friends, Ashford, and all of Japan. It started with a small bundle of papers.

The aforementioned bundle of papers was the rough draft of my book that I was writing. I had them in my hand (I wrote them in-class when the classes themselves became boring) as I headed toward the choir room, hoping to catch Suzaku on his way out, so I could convince him to ditch with me (what? I didn't have a match scheduled today, and I couldn't write my book _all_ of the time).

Luckily, I arrived before Suzaku left. When I found him, he was in the choir room, chatting with Ms. Vaughan, the choir/theater director. She was a young (20-ish?), slim woman with Egyptian Plum brown hair. Don't ask me how I know the different shades of brown. You don't want to know. Suffice it to say that sitting in a doctor's office with a fashion magazine is better than sitting in a doctor's office with no magazine at all.

I stood in the doorway, hoping that Suzaku would get a move-on sometime soon so that I could convince him to ditch with me. As usual, things did not go according to plan, in several respects.

First off, Suzaku noticed me and decided to introduce me to his teacher, and although she seemed nice enough, this and the idle chit-chat that followed wasted several valuable minutes of ditching time that could be used to do something that was not productive, but that was better than gym. Of course, this was better than gym, too, but I could think of better things.

Secondly, once I got Suzaku alone, he flatly refused to ditch with me. That fixation on the rules is going to bite him in the butt one of these days. Exactly how, I'm not sure, but I'm certain it'll happen somehow.

Lastly, I left my rough draft in the choir room. I realized this when I tried to do my story in English class (even Ohgi can't make grammar seem interesting) and couldn't find it. I resolved to get it back after class, but the realized there was a student council meeting right after school. After the meeting, I was too tired to go back and get it, so I decided to go back to my room and nap for a bit.

Imagine my surprise to find two school-aged boys and a familiar green-haired woman in me and Nunnally's living area…

**(Author's Note): This actually would have been up sooner, but halfway through, I decided to start over from an earlier point. The bit I erased would have had Lelouch arguing with his science teacher over Eugenics. Eugenics is, simply put, an idea that has the disabled and mentally ill killed or sterilized so that the human race will evolve into a healthier species. Naturally, you can imagine how Lelouch would have reacted, considering that Nunnally is considered "disabled." Incidentally, the Science teacher suggests that Lelouch take Nunnally to an assisted suicide center, so that they can counsel her on the benefits of living versus dying. He was a _jerk_. Frankly, assisted suicide is a despicable practice that kills tons of depressed people each year. These people need to be encouraged and told that their lives have meaning, not told that they're right, and that they should die. That is wrong on more levels than I care to count. **

**Back to the fanfic, can you guess who the two students are? One was a major character in R2, and other you may not have heard of. He wasn't in the anime, but in a certain video game. Ah, well, that probably gave it away, but I'll keep it ambiguous just in case.**


	5. Author's Notes

**(Author's note): Just to make things clear, this is not another chapter in the fic. This is an extended series of Author's notes intended to clear up any confusion or misunderstandings regarding the story. Recently, Shene Tipa posted a very helpful review that challenged the self-continuity of the story. Here was her review: **

so i really like your writing style. you have a great way of telling a story.

the story itself is, however, a bit paradoxical.

you said that no one would remember zero or anything, but then the world couldnt have changed because it was zero who made those changes.

also, if the world was "normal" then ashford wouldnt be in japan, nunnally wouldnt be crippled, suzaku wouldntbe at ashford, among many other things.

also, what would be the point of lulu writing a book about zero if no one remembered him?

you need to pick a storyline and stick with it. was the world changed or not?

is zero remembered or not?

**And this was my response:**

Thanks for you review, Shene Tipa. As to the story being paradoxical: 1. R.T.H. stated that no one would remember Zero's actions. That doesn't mean they never happened. Remember the Emperor's ability to change memories? Even when he had erased all memories of C2 and Nunnally, they still existed. Lelouch had just forgotten about them. It's the same thing here, only on a larger scale.

2. The presence of all these Britannia students is "officially" explained by the fact that Britannia, during it's 2010 expansion period, temporarily occupied Japan. When Japanese forces re-took Japan, many Britannian families, who had grown fond of the land, decided to stay behind. In truth, this is actually the same world that Lelouch took over, only with the populace having altered memories.

3. You may also wonder: "If Lelouch stated that the day he came back was September 30th, the day he got his Geass, then how is it that the U.F.N. and U.S.J. already exist if they weren't formed until almost a year later?" The answer is that R.T.H.'s shadowy master, who R.T.H. claims is "like god, though that's not quite the right term" used his nearly limitless powers to turn back the clock one year, so as to allow Lelouch more time to enjoy his school years (and to allow me more time to work with). And if any of you are interested, by my approximations Lelouch is starting his Junior year when this begins.

4. Lelouch's wish to write a book about himself and his exploits is driven by the desire to have the world know about the sacrifices Zero made to let them have the world they now enjoy. He knows that no one will take it as seriously as he would like, but as he would put it "it gives me something better to do than lay around on the weekends" rather in the same manner that writing this gives me something better to do than lie around all summer.

5. Incidentally (and I've mentioned this twice now), Code-bearers cannot have their memories wiped. They are immune to whatever methods are used on normal people. That's why C2 **(at this point, I accidently sent the message, but this is what I would've said:) **still remembers Lelouch.

6. Deaths that happened during Britannia's initial invasion and before have still occurred. So Marrianne is still dead, and Suzaku still killed his father.

7. Nunnally and Lelouch are still Britannian royalty, and fled the country for fear of assassination after their mother died. Charles is still emperor, and all of Charles's memories regarding the Sword of Akasha have been erased. V2's situation is… Complicated. I won't say anymore at this time.

Hope that clears some stuff up. 'later -TheDemonLord06

**Also, to those of you who are fans of LelouchxC2 out there: Don't think that I won't address C2's interest in Lelouch, and Lelouch's possibly reciprocated interest. Heck, I haven't even decided that Shirley will live this time around. She **_**does**_** have a tendency to die out on us…**


	6. Settling Down

**(Author's note): I'd like to apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I went on vacation to the Oregon coast for almost two weeks, and intended to have this chapter posted with an explanation of my absence. However, with a sudden late-minute change of plans, I left a day early and never got around to finishing this chapter before we left. I got back a few days ago and have mainly been up to back-to-school stuff, so I haven't really had time to write this. And when I did, I got easily distracted (as usual). I've also got another fanfiction in the works, so I may update less from now on. It depends on whether I actually go through with the new idea. If I do, it should prove an interesting read, since this would be my first time writing from a girl's perspective. Well, there was always Aura, (a female Lucario) but she was more of a cold-blooded killer and didn't have much in the way of emotion. That story is deleted anyway (though I may go back and re-write it). **

"C2."

"Hello, Lelouch."

"You're back, I see. Care to tell me where you've been or why you took so long?"

"No."

At this, I frowned. I forgot how irksome she could be_._ "Hmph. Very well." I took a seat on the chair next to the table.

"How are you enjoying your new life?" inquired C2.

Disregarding the fact that she had just asked me a question even though she had flatly refused to answer mine, I responded with an answer anyway. "It's a very… Enjoyable. I suppose that having it all taken away from me has made me appreciate it all the more."

"You must be grateful to R.T.H. and his master."

"I am." I suddenly sighed. "You're not going to tell me how you know R.T.H., are you?"

"No."

"I figured not. Who is he?" I asked, nodding toward to silver-haired boy who was looking at some photographs in the shelf.

"That's Rai. And you know Rollo, obviously."

I nodded. I did indeed. I remembered the last time I saw Rollo… How he had sacrificed himself to save me…

I mentally shook myself. Getting nostalgic would do no good now, as it would only confuse everyone except C2. I considered giving Rollo his memories back, right then and there, but decided against it. It would only make things awkward, and… And…

I saw a series of events flash before my eyes. Rollo, killing Shirley to "protect" me, Rollo, killing children on my orders, Rollo, sacrificing himself to save me, and other memories, all leading to the same conclusion…

Rollo had never meant to rescue Nunnally. He wouldn't want the competition. He would… He would've…

I glared out of the corner of my eye at Rollo, who glared right back. It was imperative, I realized, that Rollo _not_ regain his memories. There was too great a risk that if he did… Nunnally…

C2 and I spent a little while longer talking. As the subject of her visit came up, I asked her how long she would be staying.

"Oh, I don't know. It's not like I have anywhere else to be. As long as I feel like, I suppose."

"If you're going to be here long, I suggest you enroll at Ashford." At this, C2 started laughing. "What?" I asked defensively.

"I've lived for hundreds of generations. Do you really think your pathetic excuse for a school can teach me anything?"

What's all this about Ashford being pathetic?" asked Milly as she walked in the door. Her family owns the place, so she can pretty much do as she likes here.

"Uh… Miss Prez!" I stuttered as I tried to think of a good excuse for having C2 and these boys in my room. "This is C- This is my cousin Kaitlin!" I barely managed to get out.

"I'm C2." Said "Kaitlin," undoing any work I had just done.

I slapped my hand to my face. When Milly looked at me strangely, I looked up and muttered, "She goes by her nickname, C2."

Seeming to accept the slightly exotic nickname, Milly looked at Rollo and Rai. "And who are these two?"

"These are her friends, Rai and Rollo." I introduced. "They're going to be enrolling at Ashford, because _they know what's good for them_." I said the last bit pointedly staring at C2. I wanted… No, I _needed_ C2 to enroll, mainly because I needed to keep up my appearance as a normal student. It was true that C2 was no longer wanted (by the government, obviously), but having a mysterious, green-haired woman randomly show up in my room would be very hard to explain to my friends, even harder if she had no apparent reason to be here. Saying that she was my cousin would certainly help, but considering her age (her physical one, obviously, since she's actually hundreds of years old), they would wonder why she was not in school. Hence, for the illusion to be complete, I needed C2 to be involved in school.

Even the Ashfords, who knew of me and Nunnally's royal lineage, would be deceived by this excuse because there were numerous cousins and distant relatives of the royal family. Enough that they could accept C2 as being a relative of mine without being a member of the royal family.

"Oh, you guys are enrolling at Ashford? Great! Follow me to the principal's office to sign up!" exclaimed Milly, brightening up at the idea of more people enrolling and seeming to forget C2's "pathetic" comment. C2 seemed to accept this turn of events, and followed Milly out the door. Rollo and Rai trailed behind. Rollo's eyes met mine for a split second, and then he was gone.

* * *

A few days after this little scene, life continued on its normal, everyday, wonderfully boring pace. C2, Rollo, and Rai had all gotten signed into their respective classes and were settling down nicely. I'd heard that C2 was very good at history. This came as no surprise, considering that she's lived through everything since the late 1300s.

Today, I was walking with Suzaku to his choir class just before 6th period. I was about to ditch, which was why I wasn't trying to get to my own 6th period class. I had long since given up on getting Suzaku to go with me, and was just content with the fact that he didn't report me. As we walked down the hall, we exchanged Chuck Norris jokes. I realize that maybe they're not the most… Witty jokes around, but they're fun regardless.

"When Chuck Norris does a pushup, he doesn't push himself up: He pushes the world down." I informed Suzaku, keeping a perfectly straight face.

"Oh yeah? Well, when the boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris."

"Chuck Norris doesn't wear Superman pajamas: Superman wears Chuck Norris pajamas." Added Rivalz, a grin on his face, as he joined up with us. Rivalz had met me here because he was the one who was going to drive me to my impending chess match. He's got a free 6th period, so he's free to drive me places.

I decided to try to trump them all with a more obscure joke. "Mr. T and Chuck Norris walked into a bar. The bar then spontaneously combusted because no building can hold that amount of awesomeness."

"Hey, Lulu?" asked Shirley who had been trailing a few feet behind, listening to our conversation. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. Go ahead."

"Just who _is_ Chuck Norris, anyway?"

All of us just sort of just stared at her. Shirley looked a little surprised and shifted her weight uncomfortably. "What?"

I stared disbelievingly. "You honestly _don't_ know who Chuck Norris is?"

Shirley stuttered defensively. "W-well... W-why should I? I mean-"

We were interrupted by Ms. Vaughan, who said she wanted a word with me. We all went into the classroom, since Rivalz was with me and both Suzaku and Shirley had class in here. As we entered the room, she turned around and held out a packet of papers that I immediately recognized as the rough draft of my book.

"Are these yours?" She asked.

I confirmed that they were and took the papers from her. As I made a motion to leave, she called out: "I really like the story you have goings so far. If you don't mind, could I read what you have written once in awhile?"

And thus I found my first editor.

**(Author's note): I actually had to cut this one short, just so you guys wouldn't E-lynch me. I'm actually surprised and flattered that people would be screaming for an update. Rollo's popularity was also slightly unprecedented. I think I'll be writing about him more than I originally planned. Speaking of which, what do you guys think? Should Lelouch give Rollo his memories back, possibly at Nunnally's expense, or play it safe? **

**Incidentally, this chapter was supposed to be the start of a new story arc, in which Mrs. Vaughan enlisted Lelouch to help write an original story for the school play. Then I slapped myself and said "DemonLord, you stupid hosehead. Not everyone enjoys the theater as much as you. Making that move will clearly cause the story to lose popularity and ruin your internet career for the rest of your life, and possibly get E-lynched, which is worse than all the others combined."**

**The reason I bring this up is because perhaps I'm **_**not**_** a stupid hosehead and people might actually enjoy this story arc. One of the major pluses would be character interaction. Plenty of entertaining and enjoyable conversations happen while preparing for a school play (I would know, I've done it. It's pretty fun, actually), and there is also after-performance party interaction to consider, where there may be more romantic interactions then usual, just because of the mood that it puts people in.**

**Post your suggestions and ideas, or just say yea or nay, in the reviews section.**


	7. The Lost Princess

**(Author's notes): I apologize for the slight lateness of this chapter. If by "slight lateness" you mean 7 friggen' months of no updates (for this story, anyway). Although, it's not entirely my fault. Ever since school started, I've been taking 9 classes (8 45-minuite school ones, and a 50-minuite early-morning theology class) doing theater (served as sound director for our school's fall production of **_**Fools!**_**, and received another position as assistant tool master for the spring production of **_**Oklahoma**_**), serving as the president of the Teacher's Quorum in my church, being in AFJROTC (Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps), plus doing Boy Scouts **_**and**_** my church youth program. I've been pretty busy, and I didn't really have time lately. I'll try to set some time aside on Sunday, though, so you may see updates more often, though to be honest, not nearly as often as they were when I first started.**

**On to responses to reviews! To ghv: C2 is the official English translation for her name (or at least the one used in the English dub).**

**To Digimon Dreamer: For the sake of the story, we will call Rollo and Rai acquaintances of C2's from the Geass Directorate (which is presumably where she came from before she went to Ashford). **

**To demecowen: You're right. I have been cheating on the "everyday life" thing a bit. You see, all of my fics prior to this point have followed an action/adventure format (even if that was not their technical genres), so I'm not quite sure how to proceed with this. If anyone has any suggestions, don't hesitate to post them in the reviews section.**

**Enough with a ranting. On to the story!**

I stared out of the café window, eyeing the gloomy, if somewhat artistic, scene that met my eyes. Rain was pouring down the streets in great torrents, small streams of water running down the steep hill atop which the café stood. Gray clouds covered the entire sky in all directions, and I had a good view of Tokyo bay from here. Seeing the small ships tossed around from the waves generated by the storm seemed to remind me of how small and delicate each human life is. Of course, once, a long time ago, a young man had taken control of his destiny, had dared to challenge the storms that toyed with his life like it was nothing… And had created much bloodshed, and sacrificed his own life to make things right again…

Pulling my thoughts away from such gloomy reflections, I looked around the cozy little café which I had taken refuge in. It was styled as though it were from the 50s, American style (before it became a territory of Britannia, obviously). The counter by which the revolving stools sat was well lit, as were the tables from which the back-to-back seats were. I was currently the only one inside of the place, sitting in the corner farthest from the door, writing my story while occasionally taking bites from the grilled cheese sandwich I had ordered. Today was Saturday, and, ignoring the signs of impending storm, I had gone to the local park to get some fresh air. Deciding to walk to the park to conserve money, I had been caught in the storm and ran into a nearby café to get out of the rain. I was glad that I had both decided to walk and that I had brought my papers, because writing and the warm, delicious cheese sandwich helped pass the time and make what would have been a miserable experience a nice, relaxing break from… Relaxing. I can hardly believe I used to spend my free Saturdays organizing raids and analyzing intelligence reports. I guess you can acclimatize to just about anything, but I sure am glad to have my free time back.

I looked back down at my papers. It was going well. Mrs. Vaughan had told me that my story "takes a really out-there concept and applies it realistically. It has twice the appeal because it has the fantasy concept of the main character's Geass and the realistic concepts technology, wars, and politics. It's really awesome."

I was about to write another sentence when I noticed that the rain had subsided. I'd better get home before it started again. I wolfed down the rest of my sandwich and headed out the door. As I exited the café, I was met by the impressive sight of the warm, bright sun coming out from behind the rainy, dark clouds. It was a beautiful sight. As I turned to head down the street, I was met a by a more beautiful sight from a completely unexpected source: Shirley Fennette was walking up the street, her face still wet from the rain. I don't know what exactly it was about that sight that had such a powerful impact on me. Was it the gentle, feminine way she was walking? Her figure, which was still visible despite the rain clothes she was wearing? The way the rain on her face shown like morning dew in the light of the newly shining sun? Or was it her eyes, which seemed to glow with surprise first, then recognition, and then gratitude mixed with a little shyness? I've never really figured myself to be the poetic type, but those were the attributes that stood out to me, right then and there. And at the time I wasn't really sure what it was, but I knew that something had changed about the way I viewed Shirley. Something… Something that made me feel good.

* * *

"Where have you been?" inquired C2 as I walked into the door, sopping wet. I had been caught up in the rain again as I walked home, and had not had the luck to find another place to seek refuge.

"Out." I replied shortly. "What is he doing here?" I added, seeing Rai talking on the sofa with Nunnally.

"He came here to visit. I told him he could." C2 had moved in with me and Nunnally, though Rollo and Rai had their own places within Ashford. "Got a problem with that?"

I frowned in response to that. Something about the way he was talking to Nunnally seemed… Irritating. I couldn't quite place it, but…

I figured out what it was later on. Or at least, I began to suspect it and vigorously denied it. It all started when Rai left and Nunnally began talking about him. Glowingly.

"And after that, we talked a little about classes, and guess what, big brother? Rai says that he might transfer into the same drama class as me! Isn't that wonderful? Rai seems so cool, so… mysterious. I want to get to know him better…"

At this point, I was beyond irritation. I was flat out ticked off. So that cunning, arrogant little pinhead thought that he could just move in and take advantage of _my _sister's poor, delicate little heart? Well, I'd show him. Next time I ran into him, I'd kick his sorry-

Wait a sec. I wasn't being too protective, was I? No, of course not. Nunnally wasn't nearly old enough to have a relationship. She's only… Well, she _was_ fourteen. Still, I didn't like that guy. He was too-

"Jealous?" grinned C2, interrupting my musings.

"Huh? What do you mean, C2?" asked Nunnally confusedly.

"It's nothing, Nana." I answered calmly, giving C2 my very best say-no-more-or-you're-dead look. She smirked in reply. "I'm going to my room." I announced, and immediately set to work thinking of all of the ways that Rai and Nana's relationship would _no_t work out.

* * *

Sunday came, and I found myself surfing the internet out of boredom. Looking at news videos on a whim, I found one that both surprised me and pleased me. It was the "prime minister" of Britannia, talking about business negotiations involving Securidite. So my father was no longer leader of Britannia. Good riddance. Doing more research revealed that a rebellion in 2011 had ousted Britannian monarchy, and that while violence had stopped after the initial uprising, many members of the royal family had been executed. At this I frowned. I bore little love to any of the names that were on the list of confirmed dead, but I preferred (to say the least) to have Euphemia alive. _I_ was responsible for her death and taking her from Suzaku, and this was the one chance I would ever get to make it up to him. I would be more than a little ticked off to find out that that chance had been stolen from me before I had a chance to take advantage of it. It was time to pay a visit to R.T.H.

I headed out of the room to the philosophy classroom, determined find R.T.H. and wheedle the truth out of him. I realized, though, that he wouldn't be there today. It wasn't a school day. And while many of the students lived in dorms on campus, the teachers lived in their own rooms, and I had no idea where he lived. Defeated, I headed back to my room.

* * *

Monday, 5th period came by and I sat through R.T.H.'s absurd version of philosophy, determined to get some answers out of him. As the bell rang, I headed up to his desk with my questions ready.

"I've been cheated." I accused bluntly. No point mincing words, and nobody was around to see me disrespecting a "teacher."

"How so?" inquired R.T.H. coolly. "Every one of the conditions I stated at out initial meeting is true, word for word. Would you like me to restate the exact specifications?"

"That won't be necessary, but I do need clarification on a few things. You said that Shirley and Euphemia are alive, yet Euphemia is one of the few members of the royal family who is not among the list of confirmed dead or whose location is known. Indeed, she's gain a legendary reputation similar to that of Anastasia, the lost Romanov princess."

"My master agreed to restore her life. He never said she would be at Ashford."

"Then that defeats one of the main purposes of having her alive."

"How so? Surely you must be satisfied knowing that she's alive."

"Tell me, R.T.H., how much do you know about the Black Rebellion?"

"Everything."

"Then you know about the circumstances regarding Euphemia's death?" I asked, looking around the room just to be sure it was empty. Nobody remembered that Euphemia li Britannia had gone down a mass-murderer. But I didn't want anybody to think that we were conspirators in a murder.

"Correct." answered R.T.H.

"The surely you know that I need to redeem myself."

R.T.H. seemed to consider this for a few seconds and then replied. "I understand. However, I do not have the permission or the power to re-warp space to bring her here. You'll have to settle with some information and bring her in yourself."

I agreed somewhat unwillingly. But then, I suppose that I couldn't expect everything to be handed to me on a silver platter. All the information that he gave me was the Euphie was somewhere in Japan and a few information resources, most of them electronic, a few human ones.

Next, I asked him an equally important question. "I need more clarification on the current timeline. I'm tired of being surprised by things at every turn."

"Now there's something I can help you with." Replied R.T.H. somewhat more happily. In the end, he gave me altered memories like everyone else had while allowing me to retain my unaltered ones. He also gave me instructions on how to restore unaltered memories.

I had everything I needed to start looking for Euphemia, except for one thing: an accomplice. Capable as I was, I needed help if I was to conduct this search effectively. I needed someone strong reliable, and above all, loyal to me. Someone like… Kallen.


End file.
